Keywords

Academic achievement; Addition; Choice (Psychology); Explanation; Manipulatives (Education); Mathematics, Elementary; School children Attitudes; Second grade

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to improve my teaching practice, as well as my second grade students' success with two-digit addition concepts, by allowing them to choose the manipulative tools to explore problems and justify solutions. I examined how allowing my students this choice influenced their attitudes, achievement, and explanations of their thought processes. I found that allowing students to choose their own manipulatives had positive influences in all three areas. Pre- and post-test results showed an overall shift toward more positive mathematics attitudes, as well as increased academic achievement with two-digit addition concepts. Students also demonstrated changes in the ways they used the manipulatives, as well as how they explained their solutions to two-digit addition problems.

Graduation Date

2012

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Andreasen, Janet

Degree

Master of Education (M.Ed.)

College

College of Education and Human Performance

Department

Teaching, Learning, and Leadership

Degree Program

K-8 Mathematics and Science Education

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0004267

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0004267

Language

English

Release Date

5-15-2012

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Education;Education -- Dissertations, Academic

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